Van Life Reality Check: We Got Weighed!! Our Sunseeker Desert Storm and RAM 1500

Reality Check!! We finally got our new Sunseeker Desert Storm and RAM 1500 weighed.
The Sunseeker Desert Storm is one of the most popular caravans on the market, and for good reason! This caravan is comfortable, spacious, and perfect for van life. However, the luxury comes at a cost. It's heavy. Real Heavy. The RAM 1500 is a terrific tow vehicle but its Achilles Heel is its rear axel. It is real easy to overload it and be driving illegally.
Are we headed for disaster?
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★ TABLE OF CONTENTS ★
• 0:00 Introduction
• 0:07 Welcome
• 8:30 Sunseeker Desert Storm ATM
• 10:15 Sunseeker Desert Storm Tow Ball Mass
• 11:30 RAM 1500 GVM
• 12:46 RAM 1500 Rear Axel Limit
• 14:05 RAM 1500 and Sunseeker Weight Distribution Hitch
• 18:27 RAM and Sunseeker Desert Storm GCM
• 24:30 Sneak Peak of next week's ep
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🔴 ** ABOUT THE CHANNEL **
Finally after five years of planning, we have hit the road, indefinitely.
Jon us every week as we explore this amazing country and learn valuable life lessons
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[@geoffreyhoddy2888]

Thankyou , we have done the exercise as well , our rig is similar to yours with similar results. Watching that video/ presentation reassured me that what we are doing is correct and conforms , I think the bonus as you mentioned “ peace of mind “ 😊 looking forward to your next video. Keep safe cheers Geoff 👍😀

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Thanks son much for your support Geoff. Appreciate it very much 🙏

[@robyndehavilland1609]

That was really interesting. And wow that river behind you was really flowing !!

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

It really was. Was beautiful to hear it at night. Wish we could have had our windows open but it was freezing.

[@youraussienomadfriends]

Hi, greats news for the car and van . We hate Canberra and the cold because we grew up there. The walk to school in the winter was horrendously freezing. Stay Safe❤😊

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Hey Gail. Have to admit I have never been so cold as I was in Canberra last week. It was just relentless. 🥶

[@ralphnagel6311]

From what you said, if you travel on dirt roads and you have to take the weight distribution hitch off, you will then be illegal. That doesn't sound good.

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Yeh. Not great. Will have to lighten up by 50Kg somehow.

[@ashdavy9828]

Lovely transparency guys. We have just bought a RAM as well didn't want to wait the 2+ years we got quoted for the LC300 so thought we would try something different. Our van is no way near the weight of yours but its fantastic to see the numbers you guys got. Look forward to seeing more videos from you both. Cheers Ash

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Hey Ash. How’s you go with new car? The RAM is an amazing tow vehicle. We love it. Thanks for watching.

[@terry2833]

Hi guys well done, just a point that a lot of ownwers maybe not aware of, is that insurance companies will take the water tanks as full when a right off is deamed.That I mean if your capacity is 300 litres then this is the calculation they will make so just saying. So when you do your calcs you should have all tanks full even in the car.Its just another way insurance companies can get out of paying your claim.

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Hey mate. Very interesting heh. I’m sure a good lawyer would have a field day with this. Check out an interview we did a while back where we cover this topic. Cheers. 👍Understand your RV weights - EVERYTHING you need to know BEFORE you buy 👍 Tow Safety 101! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnSbhISaaLSipZY

[@carencevinsbigadventure1209]

Good vid thanks, just bought a Ram Laramie can you tell me what airbags you used please?

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

We used air bag man. They do the job well.

[@iandibley8032]

Hi enjoyed the content, with the 1500 Ram the rear axle is the Achilles heal . The Ram modified Jmacx rear axle housing would definitely solve the problem. I don't know what Ram was thinking, 1770 kg lower max than a LC 200 at 1950 kg

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Mate. I have no idea either. I read that RAM Australia wanted to get the GVM under 3500 Kg. Something about taxes etc. As a result, they just put a rating of 1770 for each axle. Love to know what the rear axle is rated at in the US. I’d bet it’s more than 1770Kg. We will be looking into upgrading the rear axle as soon. As we can afford it. Thanks for your support. 🙏

[@randl007]

If your passing through Brisbane Give Andrew from ASB Engineering a call to see what you can go up to with the GVM, for the Ram without possibly altering anything

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Will definitely do that. They are number one on our list. 👍

[@davidcox8943]

Great explanation. Given your van has an ATM of 4500kg is your level ride system rated for this weight? I know that I needed to ensure that my tow hitch was 4500kg rated. Go the Ram.

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Hey David. Great question. Our hitch is rated to 400kg on the ball but since our TBW is only 333Kg we are ok with this one.

[@stewierun9940]

Well at least now you know what you can and can’t do but concerned is that a AI bot of Justine there Tim 🤷🏼‍♂️. We love the ram ❤, don’t think we would get anything different 🫣big change from a few months back. Now you both might be washing the RAM 🎉 🤣🤣 Maybe down along the Murray to warm up a little before hitting the slopes ⛷️ Safe travels 👨🏻‍🌾🤙🏻

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Haha. Thanks so much Stewie. The RAM rules heh. 👍

[@Sabumnim666]

Do you have the Ram 1500 Limited or is it the Express. because the GCM is different the limited is quoted by ram as 7713kg and the Express is 7237kg.

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

We have the Ram warlock which is is essentially the same as the express

[@ralph04ification]

Having towed with and without a weight distribution hitch, there is not a hope in hell I would travel any distance without hooking it all up. With it on the van tracks great and is unaffected by Semi trailers or cross winds.

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Agreed. It makes sense to us. Glad you’re agree. I’d go as far as to say wdh’s should be compulsory. But. That’s just me.

[@davidmilledge221]

If u need weight distribution hitches on the van then the rear suspension on the vehicle is way too softi it needs beathing up simple as , and airbags are not the correct way to do it safely nor are weight distribution hitches , needing them means ya vehicle is not safely up to the task all you are doing is trying to Compensate for its fault

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

👍

[@boblewis1149]

You don't need a truck licence for a standard 4490kg GVM RAM 2500

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

👍

[@Mr_RPE]

Bugger that I’ll be going the 2500.. numbers way to close

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Yeh. Understand mate. You can’t go wrong. With the 2500. Just bear in mind the payload for the 2500 is still only 900Kg

[@Mr_RPE]

fk me really is that it? do they upgrade alot better with a gvm upgrade or something?@@ThumbsUpAustralia

[@garryanderson2970]

You have missed the 10% rule for safe towing if your van weights 3800 kg you should have 380kg on your tow ball this is a tried a tested .

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

👍

[@Mr_RPE]

I definitely agree on that rears too heavy

[@Jm-bp5zw]

A little confused on a dual axle if the hitch is lower at the front the TBW will be lighter if the fitch is higher at the front the TBW will be heavier, complete opposite on a single axle caravan?

[@ThumbsUpAustralia]

Hey. My understanding is the hitch does not alter the TBW. In fact the results from last week show this. All the hitch does is shift some of the weight that was transferred from the front axel to the rear axel when the caravan was attached back to the front axel